Ornamental box



March 27, 1945.

R.' l. RHODES ORNAMENTAL BOX Filed Sept. 8, 1943 Mawr Patented Mar. 27, 19.45

oRNAMEN'rAL BOX f Russell I. Rhodes, North Attleboro, Mass., assignor to The Mason Box Company, Attleboro Falls,

Mass., a corporation oi Massachusetts Application September 8, 1943, Serial No. 501,533

3 Claims.

In the manufacture of ornamental boxes for f jewelry and the like it is often desirable toarch the top, by embossing or otherwise, either for ornamental purposes or to accommodate an article of jewelry or the like in the box or both. Owing to difficulties of manufacture it is not feasible to form the vertical sides of the cover integrally with theV central transverse section if the central 'section isembossed very deeply, although` it is feasible to form a horizontal margin around the embossed central portion. It is also often desira minimum number of parts and which may be manufactured rapidly and economically.

According to the present invention the box com,-

prises a transverse wall, which may be the top in the case of the cover portion of the box or the bottom in the case of the lower part of the box,

together with an elongate rim extending around the edge of the wall with upper and lower flanges overlapping opposite sides of the wall, a tongue and slot connection or other means for securing the ends of the rim together with the rim drawn snugly around the aforesaid edge of the wall, and a spacer overlapping. one side of the wall adjacent the .aforesaid edge for holding the wall against vertical movement relatively to the rim. In the case of a cover th spacer seats against the under side of the transverse wall and in the case of a bottom the spacer seats against the upper side of the transverse wall. In the preferred embodiment the central portion of the transverse wall is embossed, leaving a horizontal margin extending around the raised central portion. The aforesaid spacer is preferably in the formof a strap fitting into the rim between the branches with one edge of the strap seating on one of the flanges and the other edge seating on the margin of the transversewall. In the preferred embodiments the flanges on the-rim are serrated Vto permit the rim to be bent inwardly.

For the purpose of illustration embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a side elevation of one embodiment; Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

"the preferred Y Fig, 3 is a top view of the bottom of the box shown in Fig. l f

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the ends of the rim before they are secured together;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of another embodiment;

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the cover of the box shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section on line B-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the interlocking ends of the rim shown in Figs. 6 to 9.

, The particular embodiment of they invention chosen for the purpose of illustration inFigs. l to 5 comprises an oval box having a base B and a cover C. The base B comprises a transverse wall I forming the bottom of 'the box, a rim 2 having upper and lower flanges 3 and 4 and a spacer 5 in the form of a strap disposed within the rim with its upper edge seating against the flange 3 -and its lower edge seating against the upper side of the marginal portion of the bottom I. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the anges 3 #and 4 are serrated to permit the rim to be bent inwardly to conform to the 4outline of the periphery of the bottom I. The bottom I and spacer 5 are preferably formed of cardboard and the rim 2 is preferably formed of thin metal. While the endsof the rim may be .interconnected in various ways, the particular way illustrated in Fig. 5 comprises extensions 6 and 1 on the ends of the strap, the extension 6 having a slot 8 through which the extension 'I may be inserted and then folded over as shown in Fig. 2. The cover C may be formed as hereinafter described in connection with the second illustration or in any other suitable manner.

The preferred method of assembling the base B comprises first wrapping the rim 2 snugly around the periphery of the bottom I, then interengaging the ends of the rim, and finally pressing the spacer 5 into the rim. The spacer 5 is preferably formed in one strap whose length is approximately equal to the circumference of the bottom I. In placing the strap in the rim one end of the strap is rst pressed into the rim and then the rest of the strap is progressively inserted throughout the periphery of the rim.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive comprises a cover C' and a base B', each having the square outline shown in Fig. 7. The base B may be constructed like the base Bin Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive or in any other suitable manner. The cover C' comprises a transverse wall I I constituting the top of the cover, the central portion of this wall being deeply embossed, with a narrow margin 2l. Extending around the periphery of the top I I is a rim I2 having upper and lower anges extending inwardly above and below the margin ZI, V-shaped notches being cut in the anges I3 and I4 at the corners of the box to permit the rim to be bent inwardly at right angles. Fitting inside the vrim I2 is a spacer strap I5 Ywhich holds the margin v2| snugly against the bottom of the upper flange I3. The parts of the cover C are preferably constructed and arranged like the parts in the base B :of the rst embodiment except in that the central portion of the transverse wall "II is 4deeply embossed and except in the method of interlocking the ends of the strap. As shown in Fig. '10 the ends of the strap I2 have extensions I6 and Il', the extension Il having a slot I8 and the extension I6 having a spring tongue I9 struck up to snap behind the edge of the slot I8 when the exten sion I6 is inserted through the slot. Before the rim is applied the extensions I6 and -II are bent at right angles as shown in Fig. 10'. Then when the parts are brought together they interlock automatically.

A cardinal feature of the invention consists in that, by virtue of (the fact that .the transverse wall (I or II) overlaps the spacer (5 or I5), the two parts are rmly locked together by means of the rim without the aid of binding paper such as is .customarily used in :securing the top or bottom of apasteboard box to the side walls. Thus the cost of the box is materially reduced. This construction -is also advantageous in Vthat it permits deep embossing of ythe transverse wall Without causing distortion or lunevermess .in .the

Aside walls of the box.

marginal `hanges for holding the walls together,

and means for securing the ends of the strap together with the strap drawn snugly against the peripheral edge of said end wall, the width of the strap being greater than the depth of the peripheral wall so that said anges overlap opposite ends of the peripheral wall and each of said flanges being recurrently serrated throughout its entire width so that the strap may be bent freely to conform to the circumferential contour of the peripheral wall.

2. A jewelry box of the type having shallow top and bottom parts, one of the parts comprising a peripheral wall extending around the pe, riphery of one end wall and seating on the margin thereof, an elongate strap extending around said walls with marginal iianges for holding the walls together, and means for securing the ends of the strap together with the strap drawn snugly against the peripheral edge of said end wall, the width or the strap being greater than the depth of the peripheral wall so that said anges overlap opposite vends of the peripheral wail and .each of said anges being recurrently serrated throughout its entire width so that the strap .may be ,bent freely to conform to the circumierential contour of the peripheral wall.

43. A jewelry box of the type having shallow top and bottom parts, one vof the .parts comprising a peripheral vwall extending around the periphery of `the end walland seating on the margin thereof, an Velongate strap extending around said walls with marginal flanges for holding ythe walls together, and means for securing the rends of the strap together with the strapdrawn snugly against .the peripheral 4edge o f said end wall, the width of the strap being greater than the depth of the peripheral wall so that said anges overlap opposite `ends of the peripheral Wall and the flanges `being bent. inwardly at right-angles .to seat against the outside of the end wall and against one end of ythe peripheral `wall respectively, the latter iiange serving asa seat for said other part of .the box when the box is closed, and each of .said flanges being recurrently serrated throughout its entire width so that the strap .may be bent freely to conform .to the circumferential contour .of the peripheral wall,

' vRUSSELL I. RHODES. 

